Recoil-operated firearm.



PATENTED SB1 T.4, 1906.

A. B.HALL. y RBCOIL OPERATED PIRBARM.

APPLICATION FILED MABJA, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1'.

r v r v WITNESSES PATENTED SEPT. 4,;1906.

A. E. HALL. RBGOIL OPBRATBD HRBARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 14, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mvENToR ATTORNEY UN irED sfrnfrns PATENT carica.

RECOIL-OPERATED FIREAHIVI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.'

Animation ned March 14,1903. serai N5. 147.868.

To all whom t Duty concern:

Be it known that I, ADELBERT EUGENE HALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of West Bay City, in the county ofv Bay and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Recoil-Operated Firearms, of which the following is a specification.'

This invention is a recoil-operated firearm and the improvements consist in certain combinations of devices and the equivalents thereof, as will be fully set forth in the specifications, having for their object to automatically eject a shell upon the discharge ofl the gun and to automatically load the gun by putting a new shell into place.

The inventionalso provides means for governing the speed of the recoil of the discharged shell and the speed with which the fresh shell is pushed into place.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawlngs, 1n which- Figure l is a longitudinal section, broken` away -in parts, showing a gun with my improvements attached; the parts being shown in the position that they occupy at the instant of ring or just as the hammer strikes the firing-pin. Fig. 2 is a ,similar section showing the parts in the position they occupy near the end of the recoil. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line a: of Fig. 2 looking toward the butt of the un, and Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on t e line x' of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the bolt and the spiral rods .and governors that control its. recoil. Figs. 6 and 6a are detail views, on an enlarged scale, showing the operation of the catch K. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the lever 25. A

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the device consists in a mechanism carried by the stationary 'stock A and lower casing A', of sheet metal, that incloses the mechanism, and

' the forward part of the stock A, Vupon which the barrel B is mounted, so as. to have a limited back-and-forth sliding movement. Fixed to the barrel B and slidable with it is the slotted upper casin C, of sheet metal. The upper casing Cis s idably mounted on'the lower casing Aby means of flangedguides 1 and 1', as shown in Fig.- 4, or any other suitable manner. Fixed to the rear end of the barrel is a ring B', in the lower end of which is, journaled a pair of revoluble oppositelyethreaded screws' G and G. The rear ends of the screws G and G are supported by the bracket T, fixed to the upper slidable casing It is thus seen that the barrel, the casing C, and the revoluble screws G and G all have a lim-l ited back-and-forth movement relatively to the lstationary parts A A' A".

A rearwardly-extending hollow bolt D is mounted upon the two screws G and G by means of internally-threaded bearings D and D', that engage the threads of the screws revolves the screws G and G in opposite directions. In practice the backward movement ofthe bolt D is caused by the recoil of the shell in firing, and the forward movement is imparted by a compressible spring E, bear,-` ing against the bolt at one end and against the abutment I at the other end. The abutment I is stationary, being preferably formed integral with the stock A, as shown in Figs. l and 2. i The firing-pin' F passes through the spring E and through' the bolt D in line with the axis of the bore. Its head F prevents its being forced back through the bolt D by the shock of recoil, 'and the head F'is held against the bolt by the pressure of the shellso as to move rearwardly with said bolt. In fact, the force of recoil is exerted against.the head of the pin, which being larger than the aperture in the forward end of the bolt through which pin passes, is precluded from disengagement With the bolt.

If the bolt D and spring E were arranged to yield the instant the discharge occurred, the velocity of the bullet, and consequently the efliciency of the firearm, would be diminished. I therefore have devised means for preventing any drawin back of the bolt D relatively to the barrel untillafter the great est part ofthe force of recoil is spent, and I utilize 'only vthe remainder of the orce of the recoil for throwing out the discharged cartridge and insertingK the new one.- I use for this purpose certains` locklng devices which lock the bolt D to .thezbarrel until after the explosion takes place and then release it, and also a governin device to recoil of the bo t D.

The locking device is illustrated in Figs-1 and 2. It consists, first, in the means for com rising outwardly-extending wings N', rigidily fixed to the screws G and G and G and G', respectively. Movin -the bolt Dv back and forth, as indicated in igs. 1 and 2,

prevent too rapid IOO preventing rotation of the screws G and G', p

- At the instant of y, acts against the bolt the screws G and G',

governor consists, as shown in 4revolving action of the screws their p innerv ends N .press against the end of a stationary rod W,'sec'ured at one end to the ring B and Vpassing loosely JSC leases the wings N clearness in the drawings; but it adapted to engage a projection P, formed integral with the fixed casing'A, whereby the wings N and the screws G and Gl arel held against rotation when-the slidable barrel B, the upper casing C, and'the bracket T are in their forward position, as shown in Fig.. 1. firing the shock of recoil D, tending to 'revolve but is prevented from doing so by the engagement of the wings N. w1th the projection P. The force of recoil is thus exerted against the bracket T, which being integral with the upper casing C and barrel B shoves them back a short distance into the position shown in Fig. 2. This reanid permits the screws G and G to revolve under the remaining action of the recoil and permitting the bolt D to move back, as shown in Fig. 2, compressing the spring E and drawing the cartrid e out of the barrel by means of the extracto. J is an ejector-pin carried by the boltD and adapted 4to o erate in the usual way to tilt the empty shell out of the slot in the movable casing G, as shown in Fig. 2. For convenience in.illustra'ting I have shown the shell tipped up (see Fig. 2) by the ejectorin, although the bolt D is not at the end o its stroke. I have done this for the sake of will be understood that the ejector-pinJ does not in practice tilt the shell out untilthe end of the pin J strikes the abutment I.

. A overnor is provided on each screw G and to prevent their too rapid rotation and to control the recoil of the bolt D. `Each Figs. 1, 2, and 3, of a-pair of fly-balls, preferably-slotted to receive the win N', which thus serves as guides to the' alls while revolving.. The

alls are mounted on pivotal levers carried by the screws G and G', as shown in Figs. 1, 2', and 3, and when the balls fly out under the through each of the hollow screwsG and G The effect of thevpressure of the ends N against the rods W is to force the screws .G G back. Each screw has at its back end a friction-cone Y', formed integral with the screw and iittin .in a conical rec'ess Y of the bracket T. W'en the screws'G or G" are forced back, as just described, the revolving cone Y acts as a friction-brake to furthr retard the .whirling .motion of the screws. I adjust the-frictional effect of-each Vcone Y by means-of the double-leaf springs V, which press against the points of the cones on one side and having their pressure regulated by the ressure-fadusting screws 'on the other' si e, the dou le-leaf springs and screws .both 'being mounted in the 'bracket T,

` asshoWIlinFigs. 1 and 2.

Whenthe bolt D is in the Alinsition shown that portion of the stationary frame A further locked againstrecoil by the catch K, which is pivoted to and carried by the bracket T. At the first instant of recoil shock the rear end of the bolt D, which is preferably formed of a cylindrical tube D", is prevented from moving back by the upwardly-projecting pivoted end of the catch K, but immediately thereafter the barrel B, upper casing C, bracket T, and screws G and G move bodily backward a short distance, as previously described, sufficient to permit the latch to assume the horizontal position. shown in Fig. 2, thus releasing the lower end of the catch K from its retaining-hook and permitting the catch to tilt up to the position shown in Fig. 2, allowing the tube Dl to pass over it. A hook K is mounted on a suitable upwardly-projecting arm K, carried by the lower casing A between the screws G and G In the horizontal position of the catch K (shown in Figs. 2 and 6a) its end bears against the upper end of the arm K and locks the bracket T, the upper casing G, and the barrel B in their recoil position and keeps them so locked until the spring E has forced the tube D forward again and permitted'it to release the upper end of the catch K, so that 'K may drop down into the position show'n in Figs. 1

and 6. The upper end of thel arm K is beveled or inclined on that face adjacent the free end of Ithe catch, which catch is similarly mit the beveled end of the catch to slip off of the beveled or inclined'face of the arm, such incline directing the arm toward the position which it occupies in Fig. 1. As soon as the in Fig. 1, it is beveled, thel purpose of which is to per- IOO catch slips downward somewhat it will havel moved out of alinement with the movable'.

.portion T of the frame and the upper end of the arm K and permit the parts to assume the position shown in Fig. 1. however, the latch cannot move out of its horizontal osition until the bolt has moved forward suiciently to clear the latch.

I have not illustrated in detaill the mechanism by which the new cartridge may be fed form the lower part of the casin A up into line with the barre so that the bo t D may force Obviously,

IIO

it into the barrel, as such constructions 'are old and well known, and any suitable device may beused for the to employ. the usua laminated spring Z, u on which the cartridges rest and by which t ey are fed up to the chamber, as indicated in The hammer Ris automatically cocked-by the rin -pin F when it is pushed back by the recoigl ofthe bolt D,.as previously de` scribed. Ialso rovide means for preventing the release o the hammer by the trigger when the parts are in their recoiled positions. (Shown in Fig. means I have shown a lever 25, pivoted intermediate its ends isLa slot 2.6, formed in urpose, although I prefer" 2 As one embodiment of such lying, 13,

between the recoil-bracket T and the hammer R. The forward end of the lever lies Vbeneath the bracket T and is preferably provided with a projecting cam-like protuberance 27, which may be engaged by aprojection depending from the bracket-as the springV, for instance. The rear end of this lever is weighted and lies adjacent the upper curved tooth of the trigger. When in normal position, such as shown in Fig. l, the rear end of the lever lies above thetooth 28 of the trigger, being held in such position by the engagement of the projection on the,

bracket T with the cam-like protuberance on the forward end of the lever. I/Vhen the bracket moves rearwardly by the force of the recoil, the forward end of the lever isreleased -and moves upwardly, owing toA the weighted rear end of the lever, which drops down opposite and in engagement, or practically so, with the tooth 28 of the trigger, which has engaged the tooth ,29 of the hammer, the lever when in this position preventing the disengagement of the teeth 28 and 29.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a firearm the combination with the` stock and fixed lower casing; of the barrel and upper casing secured thereto and slidably mounted on the lower casing; a springpressed bolt having a firing-pin; a pair of revoluble screws extending through correspondingly threaded sockets carried by said bolt; a governor attached to each screw; a conical end on each screw and a seat for said conical end, carried by the upper casing;

3. In a firearm having a recoil-operated' bolt and screws revolved thereby; means for controlling the speed of revolution of said screws said means comprising centrifugal governor-balls operating to force the ends of said screws into engagement with a frictional surface carried by said frame; substantially as described. y

4. A firearm comprising in combination with the.revoluble screws and the s ringpressed bolt having correspondingly-t ead- Y,ed sockets to receive said screws; a pair of outwardly-extending wings fixed to each screw; a fixed projection carried by the frame of the firearm and separably engaging said wings; a slotted governor-ball slidably engaging each wing a pivotal connection between said governor-balls and said screws; and means carried by said governor-balls for imparting longitudinal movement to said screws, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a firearm having a recoil-operated bolt and screws actuated thereby; governors mounted on said screws; said screws automatically controllingboth the forward and backward speed of the bolt, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a firearm of the class described having revolubly-mounted screws; `and a bolt having correspondingly-threaded sockets to receive` said screws; radially-extending wings fixed to said screws and adapted to engage a projection located on the frame of the firearm, whereby the screws may be locked against rotation when they are slid forward into the normal osition of firing, substantially as described? '7. In a firearm of the class described, the

combinationwi th the revoluble screws cap able of slight longitudinal movement; and a bolt having correspondingly-threaded sockets to receive said screws; a governor having pivotal connection with said screws and adapted to move them longitudinally., a barrel-extension bracket; a V-shaped spring located on the barrel-extension bracket in contact with the endof each screw g and means for adjusting the tension of said spring to resist the end thrust of the screw, substantially as described.

8. In a firearm the combination with a barrel, a bolt and a firing-pin, of rotatablysupported screws, a friction-brake connected .with said screws, the bolt connected with the screws whereby to reduce the speed of recoil ofthe bolt and means for returning the bolt to normal or firing position. f

9. A firearm comprising a stationary frame, a barrel movably sup orted thereon, a` casing carried by the barrel) a bolt and firing-pin, longitudinally-moving screws connected with the bolt and rotated by the movement thereof and Wings carried by the screws and adapted to temporarily'engage the'V stationary casing for preventing the instant recoil of the bolt upon the discharge of the firearm.

10. A firearm comprsing^ a stationary frame, a barrel movably connected therewith, a vcasing connected to the barrel, rotatably- Supported screws, a bolt, means connecting the bolt and screws and meanscarried by the screws and engaginCr the stationary frame to temporarily preveiit the rotation of the screws.

11. A firearm comprising a stationar frame, a connected casing and barrel slidablv mounted upon the frame, screws journaled in the casing, a bolt carried by the screws and wings carried by the screws and adapted to engage the stationary frame to prevent the rotation of the screws.

12. A recoil-operated firearm comprising a stationary frame, a slidable barrel and casing mountedthereon, hollow retarding means suitably journaled in thecasing, pins carried by the barrel and extending through the re-v tardingmeans, governors secured to and roa bolt,1 a slpeed-reducingrrotary means engaged b t e bolt, a braking means carried y the Y st-named means and means for adjusting the strength of the braking means.

' r 15. Arecoil-o erated firearm comprising a frame, amovab e bolt, a .rotary screw connected therewith and actuated thereby, the bolt moving relative tothe screw, and a centrifugal governor carried by thefscrew and adapted by its engagement with the frame. to retard the rotation of the screw and hence the rearward movement of the bolt.

16.l A recoil-operated firearm, comprising a bolt, ai rotary -speed-retarding means engaged thereby, a braking member carried by` the first-named means, a tension device adapted to contact with the braking member and means for adjustin the tension device.

17. A recoil-operate firearm comprising a bolt, and a rotary speed-retarding member engaged thereby, one end ofV the member being cone-shaped and received in a similarlyshaped bearing to provide a brake.

18. A recoil-operated firearm comprising a bolt, suitably-journaled screws, a yoke carried by the bolt and sleeves formed in theyoke andv engaging the screws.

- 19. A recoil-operatedfirearm comprising a bolt, suitably-journaled screws, a yoke carried by thel bolt and sleeves formed in the yoke and engaging the screws.

Dated at West 'Bay City, Michigan,v

March 2, 1903.

, ADELBERT EUGENE HALL. Witnesses:

I. S. HUoKINs,

LILLIE M. HUCKINs. 

